Easy Roasted Tomato Soup & Homemade Croutons involves just a few simple ingredients. Canned, fire-roasted tomatoes build tons of flavor into the soup with minimal effort. Pure, comfort food goodness that's perfect for chilly fall and winter days.
That moment when you NEED a big bowl of comfort food
When I woke up this morning, it was -5ºF outside. That's not including wind chill. I have lived in Wisconsin for 15 years, but I am not a winter person: although I have been skiing and snowshoeing, I do not enjoy being cold.
We've also entered that post-New Year stretch of winter doldrums, when we're trying to regroup from a long couple of months' worth of hedonism by eating healthier foods. In that spirit, my next few posts will feature healthier, lighter fare.
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup & Homemade Croutons: a healthier comfort food option
This version of tomato soup has just a few ingredients. I use canned, fire-roasted tomatoes in their juices for the base of the soup. Most recipes use sugar to temper the acidity of the tomatoes. Instead, I use yellow onions and grated carrots, which have their own subtle sweetness. When the soup is done, I add a bit of baking soda to further tame the acidity of the tomatoes. Then, rather than using cream to mellow out and brighten the flavor, I stir in some fat-free Greek yogurt immediately before serving.
Because this is a very lean soup, we have room for a tiny indulgence: homemade croutons. They add a nice textural contrast and are just delicious. I love them because they're crispy, but light: not dense and hard like what you get from the store. And, unlike store-bought croutons, they don't pack a caloric wallop because they are baked rather than fried.
I keep bread odds and ends in a ziptop bag in my freezer for just this purpose: for example, extra hoagie buns, hot dog buns that are too long for you the dog, extra baguette—you get the idea. I cube up the thawed bread pieces and toss them with a little olive oil, Italian herbs, Romano or Parmesan cheese, and S & P, then bake them in the oven until crispy. So easy and budget friendly!
If you'd rather not mess with the homemade croutons, oyster crackers or broken saltines are another great option for this soup.
If you have it available, torn fresh basil is delightful for garnishing the soup, though my personal preference is a sprinkling of chopped fresh tarragon.
You can make this easy tomato soup & homemade croutons a day in advance for a simple, pack-it-and-go office lunch the next day. Keep the herbs and yogurt separate and simply reheat the soup in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 3 minutes until hot. Stir in the yogurt and garnish with herbs and croutons—you're good to go! Pair it with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich for the ultimate comfort food fix.
There you have it: even if it's flippin' cold outside, you can have warm, cozy goodness inside.
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup & Homemade Croutons
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup & Homemade Croutons involves just a few simple ingredients. Pure, comfort food goodness that's perfect for chilly fall and winter days.
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small Vidalia onion,, chopped
- 2 carrots,, trimmed, peeled, & grated
- 28 oz fire roasted, diced tomatoes, with their juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
- 4 tablespoon fat-free Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoon fresh tarragon or basil,, chopped (optional)
FOR THE CROUTONS
- 2 cups day-old bread,, cut into ½"-¾" cubes*
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon dried herbs, (e.g., mixed Italian herbs)
- 2 tablespoon Romano or Parmesan cheese,, grated
- freshly ground black pepper,, to taste
Instructions
FOR THE SOUP
- Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions. Sauté until translucent but not browned, 5–8 minutes.
- Add the grated carrots. Sauté for an additional minute.
- Add the tomatoes with their juices and salt. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
TO MAKE THE CROUTONS
- Preheat oven to 375º. Add the bread cubes to a medium mixing bowl. Mix the olive oil, herbs, cheese, and black pepper. Add to the bread cubes and toss until evenly coated. Spread the bread cubes evenly on a large baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.**
PURÉEING THE SOUP
- Carefully purée the soup in a separate container using an immersion blender (I like to use large, steep sided Ziploc twist-n-loc freezer containers) until completely smooth, working in batches to avoid splashes.
- Wipe out the saucepan and run the puréed soup through a coarse strainer back into the pan, pressing on any solids with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Make sure to scrape any soup clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the saucepan. Discard solids.
- Sprinkle the baking soda over the soup. When the foaming subsides, stir soup and taste for seasoning, adjusting as necessary. Dish into bowls; stir 1 tablespoon of yogurt into each bowl. Top each bowl with ¼ cup of croutons. Sprinkle with basil or tarragon (if using) and several grinds of black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
*I like a sturdy bread like baguette, French bread, or even leftover hoagie or hot dog buns.
**Store any extra croutons in a zip-top bag (you can keep them in the freezer for up to a month). They're great to have on-hand for salad and soup toppers.
DIETARY NOTES: for vegetarians and vegans, either omit the cheese completely or use a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan substitute. Also substitute a dairy-free yogurt (for example, Greek-style cultured coconut milk). If you follow an oil-free diet, use ¼ vegetable broth instead of olive oil over low heat to sweat the onions and carrots until soft (add a few tablespoons of water if you run out of liquid before the vegetables are soft).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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Deb says
I made this tonight. I can safely say that it’s the best tomato soup that I have ever made. The others I have tried were both too acidic and not tomato-y enough. I loved the flavor and consistency and I also loved the homemade croutons. I will admit to eating the crouton crumbs. Any leftover croutons will go on my salads. Warm, healthy comfort in a bowl. Thanks!
Michelle says
Oh, fabulous! I'm so glad that it turned out great for you. With these chilly Fall nights lately, I'm in need of some comfort food myself: I think I'll make a batch of this today!
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Your tomato soup sounds so tasty! I would happily slurp up an entire bowl!
Michelle says
Thank you, Kat! I am doing that very thing for lunch today! 🙂
Corina Blum says
This sounds delicious! I will have to look out for fire roasted tomatoes as I don't think I've seen them here but I bet they are so good in this. Your soup has such a gorgeous rich red colour too - definitely looks healthy! Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice
Michelle says
Thank you, Corina! I can only find fire-roasted tomatoes in the organic section of my grocery, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were hard to come by elsewhere. It's not a deal-breaker if you can't find them: just use good-quality regular tomatoes. 😉
Monika Dabrowski says
This soup makes me feel all warm inside, it looks so appealing and tastes great! Thank you for bringing it to #CookBlogShare 🙂
Michelle says
Thank you, Monika! I don't know about you, but warm is exactly what I need right now! 🙂